The Streak
by Kaishakai
Summary: Of course the moment her twin wakes up he decides to become a hero. It's not like she can leave him unattended, knowing their luck he'd find some way to screw the space-time continuum that would result in reality fracturing and the creation of a multiverse. She's pretty sure another Barry out in the MV had already done that and he's to blame for things being the way they are now.
1. Chapter 1

"Allen, you have those results I need?"

"You mean from the evidence I told you would be done yesterday?"

Hanson shifts awkwardly, no doubt playing with his tie. "Yea, those. I mean, if you haven't finished yet that's perfectly fine. I can–"

Betty rolls her eyes, keeping her gaze focused on the microscope as she points to her outbox. "Your file is fourth from the bottom. Your results were in yesterday morning and I finished compiling it all by lunch."

"Why didn't you tell me it was done?"

"I told you two days ago it would all be done and the report would be ready by lunch yesterday," she sighs, making notes on the current sample. "You are a big boy, a detective with the CCPD, I'm fairly certain you know how to read time and check a calendar."

"Why didn't you say anything yesterday? I've been waiting–"

"We have a system, Detective, and have for over two years now," Betty cuts in sharply. "Evidence is collected, it comes to the lab, I look it all over and give you a ballpark figure on when the results will be in. If, by some miracle, it's done early, or something comes up and I need more time, I text you. Otherwise, you show up at the pre-appointed time to get the initial findings and once I'm done compiling the results and have written my report, I text you to come pick up your file. If you're one of the more brutish officers you even come in and harass me so much that I either take care of your evidence just so I can get a break from you, or your evidence somehow mysteriously gets moved to the bottom of the pile. That's our system. That is the same system we've had since I was set up here. In no part of this do I hold your hand through the entire process and make sure you remember to check on your evidence. It finished on time so you should have picked it up on time. You didn't though so I assumed you had better things to do and I moved on through my log. If I need to treat you like a little kid and text you every time a result comes in and when each report prints and when my file is done, I can start doing that. But then you can explain to Captain Singh why there are so many text charges on my work line and why I'm keeping better track of you than your girl does."

A throat clears from the doorway and Betty finishes her train of thought in her notes before calmly setting everything down. Joe is standing in the doorway behind a beet-red Detective Hanson looking like he isn't sure whether he should scold her or laugh at his poor co-worker.

She sighs heavily and grabs the aforementioned file. Betty passes it to Hanson, "I am not a psychotic person on the brink of a mental breakdown. Stop treating me like one. Go back to the harassing hourly visits and treat me like the forensic scientist I spent nine months of the silent treatment from Joe to become. Next time, I'll either pass the results to Clayborn 'by accident' or your evidence will continuously find its way to the bottom of the stack for a solid month. Got it?"

Hanson takes the file and starts to leave, tossing out a parting shot. "For the record, I like working with your brother better."

"That's because he's a pushover," she snorts.

Joe is thumbing through the stack of files on her desk and shakes his head. "These are your outgoing?"

Betty nods, grabbing her current file and finishing her notes. "Kyle's has been waiting for him for three days now. _Three_, Joe. Every time he comes in, he asks if it's done yet but then launches into how he can totally wait and, as a matter of fact, he can just come back tomorrow, and _then he just leaves_. Today, I even had it in hand, ready to give it to him but he just left!" She makes a noise of disgust and adds her notes to the current folder. "I thought they were all bad after the particle accelerator and again when Len left, but it's actually gotten worse. I didn't think that were possible, but they've managed it."

"Give it a few more days," Joe tries to soothe. "This time next week they'll all be back to normal."

"They better be, otherwise I might just have that breakdown they are all so scared of," she mutters. She leans past Joe and passes him the file he is looking for. "Yours finished half an hour ago so you're right on time. If that's all, I've finished my log for the day and I was supposed to be out an hour ago."

"In which case you better get your butt out of here before Singh catches…"

Buzzing fills her ears and Betty's skin lights up, the hairs standing on end as energy thrums through her. The buzzing quiets after some time and the energy disperses, leaving a low hum that dances along her spine.

"Betty!"

Betty jerks sharply at the tone, eyes focusing to find Joe standing in front of her with a worried look on his face.

"You okay? What happened, did you get dizzy? Do I need to take you–"

"Barry's awake."


	2. Chapter 2

Joe looks at her, hand cupping her arms. He sighs, squeezing her arms gently, "Betty…"

"No, I felt it, Joe," she cuts in before he can start on one of his spiels. She _knows _Barry is awake. "He's awake and you know as well as I that the first place he's going is to see Iris."

Joe gives a reluctant smile, "True enough, but there's no guarantee he's actually awake. It's going on ten months now, Betty. And I'm pretty sure that if Barry just suddenly woke up that STAR Labs would call to tell us."

Betty snorts, "Not once he finds out how long he's been out. He'll be out of there before they can even reach for their phones."

He looks ready to argue again before letting out a put-upon sigh and nodding. "That boy was always quick to take off. Don't know why he never joined track like you and Iris."

"Because he's rather watch Iris run and he can't jump hurdles?" Betty snickers. "Remember that time he tried to jump over the couch when she found out he was the one who ruined her art project back in seventh grade?"

"I'd completely forgotten about that," Joe wheezes with laughter. "Took almost a whole hour to get him to come out of the hall closet and twice as long to clean that mess up."

Joe's phone goes off and Betty smiles as she starts cleaning up her work space and shutting things down for the day. When he hangs up, he points the phone at her, "Not a word. That freaky mind-thing you two have is freaky. Have I ever told you that before?"

Betty snorts, "At least once a week."

"Good," he nods in satisfaction. "That was Dr. Snow. Seems Barry woke up and before she could do an exam to make sure he was actually okay, he was gone."

She rolls her eyes. "While you finish your shift, Iris and I will make sure he goes back and gets checked out properly."

"Make sure you do. We don't need for something to be wrong and us not know it until he slips back into a coma."

"Worst case scenario, I'll borrow your spare handcuffs and we'll throw him in my trunk."

Joe looks at her for a long moment. "I can't tell if you're joking right now or not. You cannot kidnap your brother."

"Less 'kidnapping' and more 'forceful medical intervention'," she shrugs. "It could even be argued that he's not in complete control of his facilities since we don't know what effects the lightning might've had on his neural and–"

"No forceful anything," Joe reiterates. A smile lingers at the corner of his lips. "At least not where I or any other law enforcement official might see, and only if he tries to avoid the exam."

"Agreed," she laughs. "I'll even make sure no one's hands wander to inappropriate territory during the exam. Wells looked a little too excited during the last 'routine' exam."

Joe stares at her. "I think you need examined. We sure that lightning didn't have any adverse effects on you?"

"Ha ha," Betty retorts dryly. There are making their way down the stairs, the bullpen in clear view. "Caitlin has been keeping an eye on me just in case."

"Good, last thing we need is for you to join Barry. Those first few days were more than enough for me."

They've just reached Joe's desk when Iris steps through the entry way, trying– and failing– to hide a sheepish looking Barry behind her. Before Betty or Joe can summon a reaction, one of the officers– she is _very _certain it is Hanson– shouts out.

"Thank God, we can all relax. The nice twin is back!"

There are a few cheers and a smattering of good-humored jokes thrown around and Betty rolls her eyes. She's been doing that a lot this last week. "I am right here and he's not back on duty yet."

There are a few groans and someone makes an overly dramatic noise of dying. Betty ignores them as rushes forward, glomming onto her brother. There is a sudden shock and they both jerk at the sudden charge, though neither lets go. Her twin has been in a coma for nine months, a little shock is a price she is more than willing to pay to have him hugging her back. The humming she's heard since she'd felt him waken dulls even further, becoming a low thrum under her skin as they embrace.

"You ever do something stupid like that again and I will kill you myself," she threatens tearfully. "I mean it. Seriously, playing with metal chains while it's storming? You're supposed to be smart, Bar."

Barry laughs against her neck, squeezing her tighter. "But seriously, what are the _actual _chances of being struck by lightning?"

"Apparently very good in your case," she laughs back.

"Okay, stop hogging the boy already," Joe laughs from the side.

Betty reluctantly loosens her hold, letting Joe step in and scoop Barry up in a bear hug. Stepping back, she links arms with Iris and they both squeeze each other tight. "He's awake," she smiles. "He's awake and now I'm not in that stupid apartment all by my lonesome anymore and–"

"Maybe you'll stop terrorizing the poor denizens of CCPD?" Iris cuts in with a smirk.

"_I_ am not terrorizing _them_," Betty huffs back. "_They _are terrorizing _me_."

Iris snorts. "Sure. That's why Valores was trying to convince Eddie to pick up his files yesterday."

"Strange, his file is still sitting on my desk waiting to be picked up," she hums.

"Because Eddie doesn't want to chance becoming your next victim," Iris teases.

Betty rolls her eyes. "Please, like I could ever actually be mean to Eddie. It would be tantamount to kicking a puppy."

Iris looks ready to argue before she purses her lips and eyes Thawne. She sighs, "You're right. He's just so sweet and–"

Betty nudges her, "You start listing all of his qualities and I'm out."

"Detective West, we got a 5-15 in progress at Gold City Bank. Two dead," Cindy from dispatch comes up. "Storm's really picking up on the south side. Grab your rain gear."

Betty loosens her hold on Iris and they move closer to Barry.

"You take it easy. There'll be plenty for you to do once you settle in," Joe is saying to Barry before turning to call out to Eddie. "Let's go, partner."

Betty sends him a little wave, "Have fun with Jamis."

Joe's steps stutter. "You're not covering this one?"

"Yea, no. I'm out for the day," she reminds him. "Singh threatened that at the first sight of overtime he's grounding me to the lab for the next year."

"Thank God," Joe sighs. "You gonna make sure Barry gets back to STAR Labs, right?"

"Of course, and I'll save the handcuffs as a last resort."

"You better," Joe grumbles.

Smiling, she pushes him towards the door just as Eddie catches up. "Good luck, Joe, Eddie."

"Thanks, Betty," Eddie smiles tightly.

Betty nods, glancing back upstairs towards Iris. Them hiding their relationship from Joe is really trying on them, but– she glances back at Joe, meeting his eyes just in time for him to roll them– the fact that they think they are successful in hiding it from him can sometimes be even more trying, she things bemusedly.

Out of the corner of her eye she sees Barry ducking into the stairwell and thinks for all of two seconds before she follows after him. If he is ducking out and not staying glued to Iris's side after having woken from a come, something is up. She follows him down to the back exit and comes out in time to see him move from one spot in the alley to another several feet away, _in less than a second_, before he is suddenly slamming over the trunk of a police cruiser with enough force to shatter the rear window.

Betty's hands fly to her mouth as she gasps. Barry backs away from the cruiser, his eyes darting around before landing on her. She can see his mind working even as her own does the same. He glances around the alley before turning back to her, a smile spreading.

She can read the exhilaration on his face and as much as she loves anything that can make him smile like that, he has just woken from a coma. She stabs a finger at him, moving to try and grab him. "Bartholomew Henry Allen, don't you dare–"

And he is gone.

Growling out a breath of frustration, Betty clenches her hands into fists, closes her eyes, and mentally counts down from ten. Releasing her breath on a calmer sigh, she slowly unclenches her fists and takes a few more steadying breaths. Her brother essentially just disappeared. No big deal. Given the little show she saw beforehand she is fairly certain he hadn't actually _disappeared_, but maybe something to do with teleportation?

Then again, with that look she'd seen on his face, she would guess it is probably more along the line that he was moving really _really _fast. In which case, given that he's just woken from a coma and this is most likely the first time doing this, and the speed he has to be going, chances are he will end up crashing. If he hasn't already.

She really hopes he lands somewhere soft.

Grimacing to herself, Betty starts walking and makes a note to stop by the store and get Barry a new phone before they hit STAR Labs. She highly doubts Barry has good enough control to steer so if she keeps walking straight ahead, she will find him.

Eventually.

And hopefully in one piece…


	3. Chapter 3

"So, what have we learned?"

Barry gives her an exasperated look.

"When you glare, you look as terrifying as a little hamster," Betty smirks. "The chipmunk cheeks really help, too. The lesson here is that when you find you can suddenly run a hundred plus miles per hour after being in a coma, don't actually try to test it out. At least not without eating something first. You feel better now?"

He throws a piece of lettuce at her but finishes eating his taco. "I hate you so much."

"Please, without me you would still be trying to talk your way out of that laundry truck," she snorts. "By the way, you smell like dirty laundry."

He shoots her a venomous look and she just laughs more as she snags another taco for herself. "Come on, eat up. I'm betting you haven't eaten anything since you woke up. Chow down."

"I don't want to eat too much. Isn't there a rule that you're not supposed to eat before running?"

"That doesn't apply to coma patients who got abs from lightning. Besides, better you puke from eating too much than fainting from not eating at all."

"Agreed, no one wants a fainting damsel," Cisco smiles as he joins them in the STAR Labs RV ("It's the Mobile Unit," Cisco keeps correcting her. "Mobile Unit, not RV. Get it right, sister."). He hands a stack of things to Barry. "Here, put this on."

Barry eyes the pile, "W-why?"

"Thermodynamics," Betty tosses out. "Come on, Bar, you're a scientist. Street clothes won't let them get as honest a reading as something formfitting and track shorts will cause less friction than regular pants."

He holds up a set of knee and elbow pads. "And these?"

"Safety first," Cisco offers. "They're for in case you crash."

Betty smirks, "Again."

Barry hits her with the pads and she laughs as she follows Cisco out. Caitlin and Wells are finishing setting things, Caitlin playing with some program on her tablet.

"You don't really believe he can run that fast, do you?" Caitlin is asking.

Wells smirks, "Oh, I believe anything is possible and, in a few minutes, maybe you will too."

Cisco is going through some crates off to the side when they hear Barry coming out. "How's it fit?"

Barry steps out of the RV, looking about at uncomfortable as Betty has seen him since their mother had explained the differences between girls and boys, but not quite as bad as it had been when Joe sat them all down for 'The Talk'. Barry shifts, hands twitching like he wants to cover himself up while trying to think of something polite to say. These people had spent the last nine months keeping him alive, after all.

"It's a little snug," he finally settles.

"At least you'll be moving so fast no one'll see it," Cisco tries to comfort him, clapping him on the back.

Betty bites back a snort and doesn't bother being subtle as she takes a picture. Or three. "At least not until I show these to Joe and Iris. Oh, and maybe Felicity. I know she'll love this. She's always sending me ab pics. I have to admit, all three are yummy looking, even if one does look like he could be jailbait." That helmet alone… and all that red spandex, oh, she is making this her background for at least two weeks. Iris will be so proud that she's finally changed it. She looks up to see Barry staring at her incredulously. "Oh, come on, Felicity assures me that he's more than legal, he just looks young."

Barry and Cisco exchange looks.

"Let's move along," Wells suggests.

Cisco nods, focusing back on Barry. "Okay, so… Right, see, you thought the world was slowing down. It wasn't. You were moving so fast, it only looked like everyone else was standing still. Dr. Wells will be monitoring your energy output and Caitlin your vitals."

"What do you do?" Barry asks him.

Cisco's grin widens and he is practically bouncing. "I make the toys, man. Check it."

He holds up a device of some sort with a lightning bolt emblem. "This is a two-way headset with a camera I modified, typically designed to combat battlefield impulse noise or, in your case, potential sonic booms. Which would be awesome."

He reclaims the helmet for a moment and Barry looks to Betty, stunned, mouthing 'sonic boom?'. Laughing, she squeezes him in a one-armed hug. "Honestly, I'd be less worried about the sonic boom and more worried about how you're gonna stop."

He shoots her a dirty look and she offers him her most sincere smile, stepping back so Caitlin can work. Barry looks the doctor over, his gaze lingering a little too long, prompting Caitlin to ask, "What?"

Barry shakes his head, "Nothing. I just noticed you don't smile too much."

"My once promising career in bioengineering is over, my boss is in a wheelchair for life, the explosion that put you in a coma also killed my fiancé," Caitlin recites flatly. "So this blank expression kind of feels like the way to go."

Betty winces and offers her twin a conciliatory pat before following Caitlin who tilts her screen so they can both see it. Cisco hands Betty a pair of binoculars with a grin and she readily accepts.

Cisco passes the helmet back to Barry who straps it on, moving into a runner's position as Cisco sets up a speed radar gun. Betty makes sure to snap another picture for Iris. Barry glances back at them and scowls when he sees her phone. Betty quickly tucks it away and offers him a thumbs up.

Barry rolls his eyes and faces forward again. She watches as his muscles tense, as he takes a slow steadying breath. And then he's off. Betty's breath catches in her throat and everything around her fades as she watches him run. She follows him with the binoculars, laughing as she hears him holler through the two-way.

Things are going fine when she sees his steps suddenly falter and she's moving before anyone can say anything, snagging Caitlin on her way and dragging her towards her car so they can get to Barry who has– once again, surprise, surprise– crashed.


	4. Chapter 4

"It looks like you had a distal radius fracture," Caitlin says.

Barry looks at the x-ray displayed on the tablet. "Had?"

Caitlin swipes to another x-ray image. "It's healed. In three hours."

Both twins gape at her. "How is that even possible?" Barry asks.

"We don't know," Caitlin admits. "Yet."

"You really need to learn how to stop," Cisco is smirking, showcasing the damaged helmet.

Betty snorts a laugh and even Barry has to grin. Cisco's attitude is a little infectious, Betty has learned over the last several months. Her humor dies off when Wells wheels in to join them.

"What happened out there today? You were moving pretty well and then something caused you to lose focus."

Betty reaches over to grab Barry's hands, offering him a weak smile when he realizes he'd been fidgeting with them again. He only does that when something is really bothering him. "I started remembering something." He glances at Betty and moves his hands so that he can grasp hers. "When we were eleven, our mother was murdered."

It is like the entire room shifts at the admission.

"It was late. A sound woke me up. I came downstairs and... I saw what looked like a ball of lightning. Inside the lightning, there was a man. He killed our mom. They arrested our dad... he's still sitting in Iron Heights for her murder. Everyone, the cops, the shrinks, they've... they all told me what I saw was impossible. But what if the man who killed our mom was like me?"

"Well, I think I can say, unequivocally, you are one of a kind." He glances aside at Betty. "Well, for the most part."

She snorts, "Yea, I may not be a speedster, but we pretty much have the same face."

Barry grimaces, "Yea, nothing like looking at you and seeing exactly what I'd look like in makeup."

"Oh, you don't have to look at me," Betty grins widely. "There are photos of when we used to play dress up as kids."

Barry goes from reluctantly bemused to completely horrified in less than a second.

Cisco outright cackles, "Please share, please."

"What?" Barry looks at him with betrayal. "No! No sharing!"

Cisco is steadily grinning and nodding, "Oh yea, yes sharing. Sharing is caring, bro."

Barry is shaking his head in countermand to Cisco and Caitlin lets out a long sigh. Betty just laughs.

"Well, I think Caitlin has all of the readings she needs for today, so you're free to go," Wells speaks over the commotion.

"Actually, there is something," Betty is quick to cut in, stopping Barry mid-escape. "Every time Barry and I touch, we shock each other."

Wells looks vaguely interested. "Are you sure it's not static shock?"

"While he was in his coma it happened pretty sporadically so that's what I put it down to before," Betty shrugs. "But now it happens all the time."

She reaches for Barry, holding her hand out for him and he reluctantly returns the gesture. Their hands are parallel to each other and just short of touching when there is a visible spark. Betty pulls her hand away for a moment before putting it right back, only for the spark to occur again.

"This happens every time?" Wells perks up. "Is it the same charge or does it vary on each occurrence?"

"The first time we touched it was a lot stronger," Barry admits, tucking his hands into his pockets. He doesn't move away from Betty though. "Every time since has felt about the same."

"The first shock was more powerful, about the same as the weakest taser setting, but it was like a full-body charge. All the others feel about the same as any normal static shock and it's typically only at the first point of contact," Betty offers. "If we stay touching or in really close proximity like when we were sitting earlier, then subsequent touches don't ignite the spark. But if we get too far apart, more than an inch or so, it resumes."

"You were affected by the lightning that struck Barry, too, weren't you?" Cisco jumps in.

Betty nods, "The doctors said the charge hadn't completely dissipated yet when I touched him and I got shocked."

"What?!" Barry squawks. "How come- why didn't you–"

"A lot of things have happened in the last nine months, Bar," she laughs. "We haven't really had a chance to sit down and catch up. When I touched you, I got shocked hard enough that it threw me across the room. Unlike you though, my coma was only nine days."

"How long after the lightning struck did you touch Barry?" Wells asks.

Betty frowns, shrugging, "Seconds? Things were a little hectic at the time so I wasn't exactly keeping time."

Cisco turns to Wells, practically vibrating with excitement. "If the lightning was still lingering, with them being in the same exact environment, and they have identical genetic makeup–"

"First off, it's not identical," Betty scoffs. "Barry has the Y chromosome while I'm a double X, that's a major difference right there."

Caitlin hums from over at the computers. "If all of the factors and variables are similar enough, the results might–"

"Dude, speed twins!" Cisco gushes. "Holy–"

"Let's everyone calm down for a moment," Wells calls out. "While it is a possibility, it is not a foregone conclusion. We'll need to run a few tests first to see if it really is possible."

"Back to the airfield?" Cisco suggests gleefully.

"No," Wells smirks. "At least not quite yet."

"Not any time soon," Betty corrects. "Especially not after seeing the damage Barry incurred."

"What?" Barry frowns, "I mean, sure, I got a little hurt, but it's all healed now."

She rolls her eyes. Good lord, she is doing that a lot lately. "First off, this is just a theory right now. We don't know if I have an ability like you and, even if I do, there's no guarantee our abilities would be the exact same. Even if I got speed, what if I don't get the healing that comes with it?"

"She has a point," Caitlin supports her, coming around with a tray. "I'll take a blood and some skin samples from both of you and we'll do a comparison to see what, if any, similarities there might be."

"And then to the airfield?" Cisco suggests.

"No," Betty sighs. "No airfield. You can have the blood and skin samples and you can do your comparison, and any other tests you want to run, but no experiments."

"Ms. Allen is right," Wells gives Cisco a firm look. "Barry started exhibiting signs within hours of waking up."

"And I haven't exhibited any," Betty points out. "It's been nine months, going on ten as a matter of fact, and nothing."

"That you're aware of, at least," Cisco contends. "It could be something that's not as obvious. Or it could be latent."

Betty is ready to shoot him down again when his words hit a chord. She stops, thinking back over everything. She purses her lips, "That is actually a possibility. I think there might be some factors we're missing. First, I'm pregnant."

Barry nearly falls over at the admission, his arm slipping out from under him and only Cisco standing beside him keeps him from face planting. "Wha-? Since when?!"

"According to the doctor, Mid-May."

"Oh my-" Barry breathes out, stepping back more to look her over. "That means you're, what, five months?"

"Just finished out week twenty," Betty laughs.

"Mazel tov," Cisco smiles widely. "Dude, how come we're just learning about his now, though?"

She shrugs, "Wanted to keep it quiet as long as I could. Iris was the first, followed by our dad and Joe and Eddie. I didn't tell Singh until the second trimester started. The rest of the precinct found out earlier this week."

Barry is still eyeing her up and she shakes her head before she unbuttons her jacket and snags his hand, reeling him in closer.

He tries to pull free, "Whoa, stop. What about the shock-thing?"

"It's been happening throughout the entire pregnancy," she reminds him. "If it hasn't affected the baby by now, I doubt it ever will. Well, so long as it isn't another big shock."

He looks hesitant for a moment more before he lets her put his hand on her stomach. The baby bump may not be noticeable to the eye, but it is very noticeable to the touch. His eyes widen and he breathes out a reverent breath as he shifts his hand to cup her belly. "Holy crap. You- you're really pregnant. There's a baby in there."

Cisco and Betty both snort. "That's what I just told you," she snarks. "And it's not a baby, it's your nephew."

"Nephew, huh?" Barry's entire face lights up. "I'm going to be an uncle."

"He's due sometime between late February and early March. It'll all be down to his mood."

Barry's phone goes off and Betty checks the clock to see it is time for Iris to be getting off. "That'll be Iris," she confirms. "The two of you can finish catching up while they run their tests here. You've got all of your samples from Barry, right, Caitlin?"

Caitlin nods, bringing a second tray over. "Yes, with all of the samples I collected earlier and the readings we got at the airfield, we have plenty to go off right now."

Barry looks at her, "Are you sure? I can stay, no problem."

"Bar, you spent nine months here," Betty smiles gently. "Go get some fresh air and catch up with Iris. I'll be fine. I'll meet you back at our apartment and we have all of today and tomorrow to catch up with each other."

Barry nods, still a little reluctant as he hugs her. "If you need me, just call. Okay?"

She nods and watches him rush out, at normal speeds this time.

"You said you being pregnant was only one factor," Wells speaks quietly. "You think there's another?"

Betty nods even as she holds out an arm for Caitlin. "I think Barry being in a coma might be another."

"How so?"

"As you've all noticed, we're twins. I knew Barry was awake before you even called. I felt it," she confesses. "Earlier, I said that the shocks were sporadic when Barry was in his coma, but that's not completely true. The first few weeks they were, but they settled into a pattern by early February. It would happen about once a week every week for nearly three months."

"It changed mid-May," Wells surmises.

"It became twice a week. And then about two months ago, it became daily."

Caitlin looks up from where she is drawing blood. "That would have been when you first entered your second trimester."

"Exactly. And today marks the start of week twenty-one."

"The mid-way point in the pregnancy," Caitlin glances to Wells. "And the shocks went from daily to every time you touch."

Cisco looks around, glancing between all of them, "Freaky."

"Yes, quite," Wells smirks. "There are any number of explanations for this, but I believe you are right. These are both important factors to be considered and, if I'm surmising correctly, they might even be linked."

"Like the pregnancy is slowing the onset of any abilities?" Caitlin frowns.

"But I didn't get pregnant until May," Betty reminds them. "Why wouldn't the abilities have manifested in those first five months?"

"It's possible that any abilities you might have could be linked to your twin," Wells suggests. "The fact that you spark any time you touch one another is a variable to keep in mind. The spark might be a byproduct of your abilities interacting."

"What, like we're both charged? He's positive, I'm negative?"

Wells gives a thoughtful hum. "Crude analogy, but effectively correct. You were both affected by the same charge, even if at different levels, in the same environmental setting. It's possible that one, or even both, of you acts as a charge for the other."

"If that's the case, it could be that the reason Barry was out for so long was because he hadn't charged enough," Cisco is bouncing again.

Caitlin is gathering her collection tray up. "Being pregnant may have weakened or limited your own charge. What your body can handle and what your body with a zygote can handle are two different scenarios."

"Which would have drawn out the initial charging process," Betty nods, catching on to what they are saying. "And now, for all that Barry was charged enough to wake up and can operate on his own, my body is still limiting itself because of the baby."

"It's a theory for us to start with," Wells smiles at her. "But if that is the case, it might be a good idea for Caitlin to keep an added eye on you."

"At least until we know what affect the abilities might have on the baby," the doctor tries to assure her.

"It's a good idea," Betty agrees. "If Barry is going to have these abilities for life, it might be a good idea to see what affects there might be for a number of situations. Such as him carrying a passenger."

Caitlin pauses mid-step, head tilting to the side. "That's actually a good idea. We're not even sure what affect this has on his body, let alone what it would have on someone else's."

"Might want to see it varies on the person. Men, women, the elderly, children."

"Pregnant women," Cisco adds, shooting her a grin. "Not to mention babies."

She points a finger at Cisco, "Very good. He's the baby's uncle and him having abilities is not going to get him out of babysitting."

"For now, it might be wise to advise against carrying passengers," Caitlin recommends. "At least until we can run a few more tests and experiments."

"Speaking of," Betty smiles at her. "Just how close are we to being done today?"

Cisco falls over laughing.

Betty glances from him to a smiling Wells. "That close, huh?"

"You don't have any plans, do you?" Caitlin asks with a wince.


	5. Chapter 5

"I wasn't the only one affected by the particle accelerator explosion, was I?" Barry demands sharply.

Betty jerks at the hot anger in his tone and looks confused for a short second. Cisco, Caitlin, and Wells exchanging glances clues her in quickly.

"We don't know for sure," Wells admits.

"But you suspected," Betty says.

"You said the city was safe, that there was no residual danger. But that' not true," Barry says hotly. "So what really happened that night?"

"Well… The accelerator went active, we all felt like heroes. And then it all went wrong." Wells pushes a button on his wheelchair, pulling up a simulation. "The dimensional barrier ruptured, unleashing unknown energies into our world. Anti-matter, dark energy, x-elements–"

"Those are all theoretical," Barry frowns.

"And how theoretical are you?" Wells shoots back.

Betty joins Barry in front of the screen, watching the map and taking in the wide burst of dispersion and the lingering pockets of energy that continue to grow. Based on the map, hundreds– if not thousands– of people would have been affected.

"We mapped the dispersion throughout and around Central City, though we have no way of knowing exactly what– or who– was exposed. We've been searching for other meta-humans like yourselves."

"Meta-humans?"

"That's what we're calling them," Caitlin explains.

"I saw one today, he's a bank robber. And he can control the weather."

"This just keeps getting cooler," Cisco says gleefully.

"This is not cool, alright? A man died!" Barry says angrily. "Mardon must've gotten his powers the same way I did, from the storm cloud. He's still out there! We have to stop him before he hurts anyone else."

Barry starts to leave but Wells calls him back, "Barry, that's a job for the police."

"Yea, I work for the police."

"As a forensic assistant," Wells points out.

"You're responsible for this," Barry parries. "For him."

"What's important is _you_, not me," Wells stresses. "I lost everything. I lost my company, I lost my reputation, I lost my freedom, and then you broke your arm and it healed in three hours. Inside your body could be a map to a whole new world. Genetic therapies, vaccines, medicines– _treasures_– buried deep within your cells. And we cannot risk losing everything because you want to go out and play hero. You're not a hero. You're just a young man who was struck by lightning."

Barry is hurt beyond belief. It is like all of those times that Joe refused to believe Barry whenever he told him what happened the night their mother died, like all those times Joe told them they couldn't see Nimo or refused to let them see their dad. Barry looks to Caitlin and Cisco but neither says anything. They don't side with either man, and if anything that hurts more.

Betty sees him shutting down and tries to reach for him. He shrugs away from her and turns to leave.

"Barry!" He ignores her and leaves and Betty rounds on Wells. "That was completely uncalled for."

"He needs to–"

"You don't decide what he needs to do!" Betty snarls. "Even if he is just a forensic assistant, he is still a forensic scientist and he still works for the CCPD. And we all know damn well that this," she waves towards the screen showing the dispersal. "The police are not equipped to handle something like this. Right now, they don't believe in anything resembling 'metas' and if they try going up against one now, all it will do is get them killed."

"And you think we're better equipped?"

"Yes," she snaps. "I get why you can't take this to the police, they'll most likely laugh at you and label you a crackpot, but you're still better suited. You know about them for starters. And like Barry said, when it comes down to it, you are responsible for this. For _them_."

"Just because I might be–"

"Not just you," Betty shakes her head. She turns to Caitlin and Cisco. "All of you were part of this; that makes all of you responsible. You created these people, you are the reason they have these abilities now and not all of them will use those abilities for good like Barry wants to."

"Regardless, he is too valuable to be risking everything just to play hero," Wells grits.

"The night our mother was killed, I didn't wake up when Barry did. He woke up, he went down stairs, and he's the one who saw our mother being attacked. I didn't wake up until I heard our father yelling. When I went down, Barry was nowhere in sight and our mother was already dead. I watched as our dad tried to save her and I was there when the police came in and dragged him away from her, throwing him onto the floor like a criminal and forcing the handcuffs on as they read him his rights and accused him of killing his wife. Despite what both of us told the police, no one was willing to listen to two kids, especially when one is going on about a man made of lightning. We were both helpless and we both hate that feeling. Anytime there is someone in need of help, Barry tries to do everything he can to help them. That is the type of person he is, it's why he joined the CCPD. He doesn't like being helpless and he doesn't want anyone else to feel that way either." Wells is fuming but she can tell that he is honestly thinking about it and that is what she really wants. She glances to see that she's getting to Caitlin and Cisco as well. "You say he can't risk himself just to play hero, but the truth is that he will do it with or without your help. But he stands a much better chance with it. And he'll do a better job, too."

Nodding to herself, Betty gathers her things to leave. She pauses at the doorway, shooting Wells a look over her shoulder. "What you said earlier, it may've been to try and make him actually think through whatever he was planning might've been to try and protect him, but you were an ass about it. When he comes back, as much as it might hurt, you should probably apologize."

She doesn't wait to see his reaction.

She gets in her car and drives by route. She sighs when she reaches her destination, climbing out of her car and making sure to lock it as she leaves. This isn't necessarily a bad area, but it isn't the nicest either. And while there seems to be some unspoken rule against touching her, she doesn't trust that to extend to her car, too.

When she steps into the warmth a moment later, a few of the more daring patrons offer her nods but for the most part she is ignored as she claims a stool at the bar.

"What it gonna be?" The bartender demands, already getting a glass ready.

She offers her best smile, "Gonna tell me if the boss is in?"

"If the boss wanted to see ya, he'd already be seein' ya," he snorts. "Now, you gonna drink or not?"

"I'll take a ginger."

"Ginger?" The bartender turns to look at her and is ready to say something when a woman quickly steps in.

"I got this one, go work the other end," she snaps at him. She shakes her head as fills a tumbler with ginger ale. "I was starting to think you'd finally thrown in the towel."

"Aw, Shirley, you wound me," she smiles. "He should've figured by now that I'm gonna keep coming until he says otherwise."

"Yea, he's just gotta tell you to your face, right?"

"Got it in one."

Shirley shakes her head. "You been coming here every day for four months. You ain't hard to read, sweetheart."

Betty focuses on her glass, lazily dragging a finger along the rim. "You'd think he'd've gotten the message by now that we need to talk."

"Men, honey, they live by their own tune and the boss, he ain't no different."

Betty laughs, taking a drink like it is something much finer. And wishing it was, too. "He doesn't live by his own tune, he writes his own. But I'm stubborn, he should know this by now. Eventually he'll get the balls enough to face me again."

Shirley chortles, "Keep talking about him like that and he might just come for you yet. Might not be the meeting you're looking for though."

"He has a key whenever he's ready," Betty smirks back. "He's the one who decided to sneak out in the middle of the night like a coward. If anyone has a right to be mad, it'll be me."

Betty's phone goes off and she checks to see it is a CCPD number. She sends Shirley an apologetic smile as she answers. "This be the meaner twin, what doth thou desire?"

"Wanna help me poke through old unsolved cases?" Barry asks hesitantly.

"Am I getting paid for this?"

"Uh… with pizza?"

She purses her lips in thought. "Jalapeno and pepperoni?"

"That is disgusting," Barry states flatly. "And aren't you supposed to be avoiding spicy things?"

"You really want to deny me food?" Betty snorts. It's official, you're the nice but stupid one, and I'm the mean but smart one."

"Very funny. Fine, but I'm adding black olives and if you get heartburn later, I'm not rubbing your back and you can get your own antacids."

"Deal."

She downs the rest of her drink and glances to Shirley. "Still on the house?"

"Of course," Shirley smiles, handing her another can.

"See, with encouragement like that, how can a girl not keep coming back?" Betty accepts the drink.

Shirley scoffs and pops her with her rag. "You're just a cheap date. Now get, I heard something about food and you're far too skinny for my liking.

"See you tomorrow, Shirley."

"Yea, yea. Get goin', girlie. Eat an extra slice for me.'


End file.
